By Britten Schear, JTNews Correspondent
Do you know a Trendsetter? JT Trendsetters focuses on members of the local Jewish community under 35 that are making a difference in people’s lives. Let us know who you think would be a great candidate by calling us at 206-441-4553 or sending an e-mail to [email protected].
Scurrying excitedly from room to room, Josh Miller seems oblivious to the dangling electrical wires, caution tape, and pungent paint fumes; he is too busy showing off the new Hillel building on 17th street in Seattle’s University District.
“See this stone wall? This stone was shipped over directly from Jerusalem, from the Holy Land,” Miller explains, as he reverently touches his hand to the towering wall of stone slabs.
“And this,” he declares after bounding up the unfinished staircase, “is going to be my office. It will look a lot better once we get some lights in there.”
Miller’s knowledge of the layout and plans for every room, hall, and closet in the Jewish student organization’s magnificent new building stems not from architectural interest, but from pure enthusiasm for the Hillel program.
Arriving in Seattle just last summer, Mountain View, Calif. native Miller is the director of Hillel’s Jconnect program. Jconnect helps young Jewish adults connect with others in their community. Designed specifically for the 20 to 30-something crowd, Jconnect activities include hiking trips, masquerade balls, a book club, and beer-drinking socials at local pubs.
Does this seem like a dating organization for young Jews? Miller is quick to say that it is not.
“Jconnect is first and foremost about community. It is great to hear people say, ‘This is how I met my Jewish friends.’ It is not a singles scene,” although, Miller admits, “I would have picked a different name. It does sound like an Internet dating site.”
Begun as one of three pilot programs in Chicago, Miami, and Seattle, Jconnect at the University of Washington has proven successful since Miller stepped in five months ago. Miller notes that there have been 400 young adults at their 60 events, they run four different classes, and have 14 special-interest groups. Jconnect also acts as a portal to other Jewish events in town, which are advertised on their Web site.
“[Jconnect] acts as a bridge from the undergrad experience to what we call the ‘what’s next?’ In your late 20s and early 30s, the sky is the limit. It is such a liberating time of life,” Miller notes. It is also a good time to reconnect young adults with the Jewish community. It is good for them to “think about what they want to do Jewishly, who they want to be Jewishly,” he adds.
Miller, raised in a Reform household, brings a strong résumé to this task, holding two Bachelors of Art from Brown University — in Computer Science and Jewish Studies, and an MBA from the Kellogg School of Business at Northwestern University. After spending one year working at the Tufts University campus Hillel, Miller found his calling working for the Jewish young adult community.
“I loved it. I could see myself directing a Hillel. Working with young adults is very exciting,” he says.
Moving back to the West Coast, Miller got a job with the Berkeley Hillel, where he met his wife — and former high school acquaintance — Rachel Gold at a Hillel conference. Miller brought Gold with him to Chicago to get his MBA, and then Gold returned the favor and brought Miller with her to Seattle, where she is attending law school at the UW.
Miller understands what it means to be an out-of-towner, and he hopes that Jconnect is bringing in Seattle’s newest Jewish residents. “Twenty-somethings don’t generally go to synagogue,” Miller notes, and Jconnect is a great way for young adults to meet others from their own age group.
As for the future of Jconnect, Miller’s enthusiasm is only growing stronger.
Speaking above the din of hammers, saws, and screaming electric screwdrivers, Miller says, “I would love to see Jconnect grow, to take on a life of its own. Hey, I also play guitar and sing…I’ve thought about starting a Jewish music center!”
To find out more about Jconnect, visit www.jconnectseattle.org, or email Josh Miller at [email protected].
Closeup
Name and age: Josh Miller, 29 years old
Favorite Jewish hangout: “Jconnect, 3rd Friday Shabbat”
Work: Director of JConnect at UW Hillel
Favorite vacation spot: “Anyplace I can do a lot of hiking.”
Favorite way to spend a night on the town: “Anything, as long as I’m with my wife.”
What he’s reading: From Beirut to Jerusalem by Thomas Friedman
Favorite quote: “If you don’t know where you’re going, any path will take you there.” — Unknown